Restaurants around Malta and Gozo are currently being assessed for the Wines and Restaurants of Malta.Com 2015 Silver Spoon and Blue Riband awards, which will be held on January 26 at Hilton Malta.
WRMC Silver Spoon restaurants are establishments that have received at least a Silver Spoon rating from the professional inspectors and survey teams of WRMC. Restaurants considered for a Silver Spoon rating must have been in operation under the same operators and the same executive chef for not less than two years. These should have also obtained a rating of not less than nine points out of 10 to be shortlisted for further assessments.
The WRMC Silver Spoon Awards and the Blue Riband Awards primarily reflect five cuisine criteria: Restaurants are judged on the quality of ingredients; the skill in their preparation and the combination of flavours; the level of creativity; the value for money; and the consistency of culinary standards. Other criteria, such as décor and service, management and staff attitudes and decorum, cleanliness, toilet facilities, space, hygiene and cleanliness are also taken into consideration.
The WRMC rating system, which was introduced and has been practised by Michelin since 1900, guarantees the utmost quality.
After an initial, thorough survey and appraisal by the directors of the WRMC, at least three further surveys by anonymous inspectors, who are chosen for their experience in the restaurant industry, are carried out.
Detailed reports about the top restaurants are then prepared and a shortlist is compiled for the final selections. Selected restaurant reviews are published with the photos of the food as served, in both the WRMC website as well as on the WRMC Facebook group’s portal.
Restaurants that are considered to be contenders for the award are revisited by inspectors at least three times during the adjudication year.
The rating of one Silver Spoon signifies an outstanding restaurant in its category; two Silver Spoons refers to an excellent restaurant with a national identity, while three Silver Spoons means an exceptional restaurant, in all respects with a national identity.
The WRMC will not award more than six one Silver Spoon awards, in any one year, with a maximum proposed number of restaurants in this criteria not exceeding 18 in total at any one time. Restaurants with two or three Silver Spoons are even rarer.
At present, there are 11 restaurants that have been awarded the WRMC One Silver Spoon award in January 2013 and January 2014.
For the complete Silver Spoons Award Criteria, visit www.winesandrestaurantsofmalta.com/silver-spoon-awards-criteria.
The WRMC Blue Riband Award is conferred to the top 30 restaurants that would have been shortlisted from among all restaurants that would have been inspected within the year of adjudication and which would have been voted to be of the highest standard in the preparation and presentation of their cuisine concept, service and value for money.
The same applies for the award to the top 10 family-oriented casual dining restaurants, in their special category, and the top five restaurants offering Sunday buffet lunches throughout the October to May season.
Special regional and location awards are being conferred to restaurants at the Valletta Waterfront as a special family entertainment location, and possibly to restaurants in Gozo as a special destination.
For further information, visit www.winesandrestaurantsofmalta.com and www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantsinmalta. E-mail enquires may be sent to renospiteri@outlook.com.